The Requiem Red by Brynn Chapman
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Patient Twenty-nine.

A monster roams the halls of Soothing Hills Asylum. Three girls dead. 29 is endowed with the curse…or gift of perception. She hears messages in music, sees lyrics in paintings. And the corn. A lifetime asylum resident, the orchestral corn music is the only constant in her life.

Mason, a new, kind orderly, sees 29 as a woman, not a lunatic. And as his belief in her grows, so does her self- confidence. That perhaps she might escape, might see the outside world.

But the monster has other plans. The missing girls share one common thread…each was twenty-nine’s cell mate.

Will she be next?

Purchase Links:

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Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

My Review:

The Requiem Red is a wonderful historical fiction with a blend of darkness, mystery and romance. It’s a beautifully crafted Gothic Romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the world Chapman created and the characters she brought to life. I loved all the history she brought into this story and it clearly shows how much work she invested into this novel.  Her characters were, though odd, very captivating. The way Chapman reeled you in with their personalities and their stories was truly enchanting, especially Jane, patient 29! Jane is very interesting. She grew up in the insane asylum and had to be around all the horrors that happened there. Talk about freaky!

One thing I really loved was the musical element that Chapman brought to this novel. Jane sought refuge in her music, and I always enjoy books that try to incorporate music, art or dancing. I also really enjoyed the paranormal element to the story. The monster that roamed the halls and was taking Jane’s roommates in his attempt to get her was intense and scary and I loved this plot in the story!

As for the love stories, one of the love stories I thought was very adorable, but I feel like the other could have had a little more substance to it. Overall though I enjoyed both love stories, something I am often very picky about.

The ending was exciting and left on a cliff hanger and all I can say is I REALLY hope there’s a sequel so the questions I have can get answered.

Her characters, her plot, her world building, her ability to use history to set the stage, these are all strengths of Chapman. If you are into historical fiction, gothic romances, or horror stories, than you should definitely check out The Requiem Red.

About the Author:

Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Brynn Chapman is the daughter of two teachers. Her writing reflects her passions: science, history and love—not necessarily in that order. In real life, the geek gene runs strong in her family, as does the Asperger’s syndrome. Her writing reflects her experience as a pediatric therapist and her interactions with society’s downtrodden. In fiction, she’s a strong believer in underdogs and happily-ever-afters. She also writes non-fiction and lectures on the subjects of autism and sensory integration and is a medical contributor to online journal The Age of Autism.

She also writes under the pseudonym R.R. Smythe .

Author Links
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